Charles f



(No Model.)

' C. P. OXLEY.

FRICTION SLIDE.

Patented Mar. 3, 1885.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES F. OXLEY, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

FRICTION-SLIDE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 313A44, dated March 3,1885.

Application filed May a1, 1884. (No model.)

T0 aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. OXLEY, of the city of Brooklyn, county ofKings, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Friction-Slides, of

which thefollowing is a full, true, and exact description, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to an apparatus by means of which a slide or rodcan be freely moved in one direction,-while whenitis moved in theopposite direction a friction or resistance is applied to its movement.My invention is applied, as shown, to the slide of a chandelier; but itis manifest that it can be usefully applied to other structures besidesthe drop-tube of a chandelier.

That which is new in my invention will be pointed out in the claimshereto annexed.

My invention will be readily understood from the accompanying drawings,in which Figure 1 represents a vertical elevation,partly in section; andFig. 2, a plan view ofmy pawlcarrying disk.

In the drawings, A represents a chamber, preferably cylindrical insection, containing the various parts of my friction device. The chamberA is supported .upon the tube H by a screw-thread or other means, whichholds it rigidly against rotation. in this case is the gas-tube, istwisted spirally, as shown, and is provided with one or more projectingribs. As shown, four such ribs are provided. As applied to a chandelierthe tube B will slide vertically within the tube H, but is preventedfrom rotation therein by a suitable contrivance-as, for instance, thetube H may be hexagonal in section, and the tube B may be provided witha hexagonal nut surrounding it and slide within the tube H. A gas-tightjoint is likewise provided between the tube H and the tube B at theupper end of the tube B. Within the chamber or drum A is the circularshelf R. Beneath this shelf, and fitted to engage therewith, is africtional flanged disk. This disk 0 is pressed upward by the action ofa spring, D. The lower end of this spring D bears against the cap orcover E, screwing upon the bottom of the drum A. The disk 0 is providedwith a central open- The rod B, which ing large enough to permit thefree passage of the tube B without rotating the disk, and, as shown, isprovided with a lower flange passing inside of the spring. Theconstruction of the disk 0, however, and of the spring, may be Widelyvaried without departing from the spirit of my invention. Anyfriction-disk provided with a central opening and with an arrangementfor producing friction between it and a stationary part when the disk isrotated would be still within myinvention. The form shown is, however,convenient and simple.

Attached to the upper part of the disk, and preferably by four pivots orby two long single pivots, F, are the pawls G G. These pawls, beinghorizontal, as shown, fall by gravity. The inner surfaces or edges ofthese pawls are angular in section, so that when the pawls are droppedthe opening between them is substantially a square. The side of thissquare is less than the diagonal distance between the outer edges of theribs on the twisted tube, while the diagonal of the square is greaterthan the distance between the edges of the ribs of the tube. Ittherefore follows that when the pawls are down the tube cannot berotated within them if it were free to rotate. The pawls G G, however,move freely upward on their pivots F F; but they are so arranged thatthey cannot be thrown over so as to fall behind their pivots, theirupward motion being arrested by some suitable contrivance as, forinstance, the soft buffer T. p

The action of my apparatus can now be readily understood. The design ofthe structure is to cause the disk 0 to rotate against its friction whenthe tube B is pulled down, .while the tube B can be raised freelywithout causing the rotation of the disk 0.

In Fig. 2 the position of the apparatus While the tube is being drawndown is shown. In this position the lower surfaces of the pawls restagainst the upper surface of the frictiondisk, and the pawls aresubstantially horizontal, and the ribs of tube B engage with the pawls GG, and the effect upon the pawls and disk is substantially the same asthough the tube B were rotated in the direction of ,the hands of awatch. In Fig. 2, if it were so rotated, it is apparent that the disk 0would be IOC ward without rotating the disk 0. When lift ed, theshortest distance between the inside surfaces of the rectangular openingbetween the pawls will be sufficient to allow the passage of the tube Bupward without rotating the disk. The hinged pawls should be made heavyenough to fallfreely, although of course a spring might be employed, ifdesirable.

I have shown the best form of pawl known to me; but it is obvious thatpawls diflerently constructed and arranged may be employed withoutdeparting fromthe spirit of my invention, which consists in causing thefrictiondisk to be rotated by a spirally-twisted rod or tube, by meansof an intermediate pawl or pawls bearing directly against the spiraltube. The exact form and structure of the parts of my invention aretherefore not essential; but that which is essential I point out in theclaims hereto annexed. V

I am aware that it is not broadly new in adjustable chandeliers toemploy a spirallyribbed rod passing through an annular pawl pawlspivoted theretoand adapted to engage with the spiral rib in onedirection, thereby rotating the friction device, and to be diseno gagedfrom the spiral rib in the opposite direction, thereby leaving thefriction device at rest, substantially as described. 1

2. The combination, with a rod provided with spiral ribs upon it, of afriction-disk surrounding said rod, and pawls movable toward and fromand adapted to engage with the ribs on said rod in one direction,thereby rotating the friction-disk, and to be disengaged therefrom inthe opposite direction, thereby leav- 5o ing the disk at rest,substantially asdeseribed.

- 3. The combination, with aspirally-twisted rod having four oppositespiral ribs vupon it, of a friction-disk surrounding said rod andcarrying two horizontal pivoted pawls adapt- 5 ed to surround said rodand engage therewith when the rod is depressed, thereby rotating thefriction-disk, but to be elevated and disengaged from the rod when saidrod is elevated, thereby leaving the friction-disk at rest,substantially as described.

4. The combination,with the spiral tube B,v .1 sliding vertically,butprevented from rotation, of the tube H, carrying supporting-drum A,

.likewise prevented from rotation, and fric-.

tion-disk 0, held against the drum A by spring D, and provided with;awls GG, forming snh-. I

stantially a rectangu ar inner opening when depressed, substantially asdescribed.

CHARLES F. 'OXLEY.

Witnesses:

GEO. H. EVANS, WM. A. loLLoQK.

